Fine Molds 1/35
Type 95 Ha-Go

For those of you who may not be familiar with Fine Molds, do yourself a favor and pick up one of their kits. They are all incredibly detailed and molded to perfection. They offer an extensive range of Japanese armor and aircraft from World War II.

The construction of this kit begins with the drive sprockets, return rollers and road wheels. There are several small parts in this step so be careful. Everything fit perfectly.

Step 2 is the construction of the lower hull. This is made up of several flat plates. Take your time to make sure everything stays square to avoid headaches down the road. Again the fit is right on. Step 3 attaches the suspension system to the lower hull. Step 4 attaches the upper hull to the lower hull. Patience in step 2 assures a perfect fit here. Step 5 adds details to the upper hull and again there are several tiny parts here. The tools are molded in white metal but are molded great. Step 6 is the assembly of the muffler and the kit includes a photo etch screen for the guard along with a form to bend it to shape. Step 7 adds the final detail parts to the lower hull. Step 8 is the construction of the turret. Step 9 adds the running gear to the lower hull. Step 10 is the tracks. These are the rubber band type, but the detail is superb. They can be glued with liquid cement. Step 11 is the final assemble.

Painting begins with a base coat of Tamiya XF-73 Dark Green. This is sprayed over the entire tank. The camouflage was added with Tamiya XF-72 Brown and XF-57 Buff. A thin strip of Tamiya XF-3 Yellow was sprayed in a rough cross pattern to break up the outline of the tank. Detail painting was carried out next. The tracks were painted with a mix of red brown and black, then dry brushed with steel. Dry transfers were used for all markings. Weathering consisted of an overall dark brown wash to blend all of the colors together. This was followed up with a pin wash around all raised or recessed details. This adds a real dirty feel to the vehicle. I applied some rust colored pastels to the exhaust and some dirt colored pastels to the lower hull and tracks. Finally, I added some paint chipping with a dark brown paint.

Conclusion

Overall this was a very quick build due to the outstanding fit of this kit. If you are interested in Japanese armor or just want to build a kit that fits perfectly, give a Fine Molds kit a try!